FAFSA Parent Plus loan denied due to credit freeze - can I reapply after removing it?

Yes, you can absolutely reapply after lifting the security freeze! I had this exact same situation last year. The denial is specifically because of the freeze, not your unfiled taxes (though you should really get those filed ASAP for other reasons). Here's what you need to do: 1. Contact all three credit bureaus to lift the freeze (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) 2. Wait 24-48 hours for the system to update 3. Reapply for the Parent Plus loan on studentaid.gov They'll do another credit check right away when you reapply. In my experience, approval came through within 3 days after lifting my freeze. Just make sure you select the option to have the school notified of your new application status.

THe freeze is DEF the problem!! i had this happen to me too lol. but the good news is u can fix it pretty fast. just unfreeze ur credit and reapply

I work in a financial aid office. The credit freeze is 100% the issue, not your unfiled taxes. Parent Plus loans don't look at tax filing status at all - just your credit history. Lift the freeze at all three bureaus and you can reapply immediately. It's actually a very common issue we see.

I had EXACTLY this issue last semester! I was on hold with Federal Student Aid for hours trying to get answers. Finally I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get a callback without the wait. They got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes who confirmed I could reapply right after lifting the freeze. Saved me so much time and stress. They have a video demo of how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

don't worry about the 2022 taxes thing, PARENT PLUS LOANS DON'T CHECK FOR THAT!!!!! i didn't file my taxes for TWO YEARS (don't judge, i had issues) and still got approved for the Parent Plus. it's ONLY checking your credit history not your tax compliance!!!!!

The system is so broken. I was denied a Parent Plus loan because of a 60-day late payment from FIVE YEARS AGO despite having perfect credit since then. Called FSA and they basically told me "too bad, so sad" and suggested my kid take out private loans with 11% interest. Meanwhile my neighbor who filed bankruptcy 3 years ago somehow got approved??? Make it make sense.

I had this exact problem!! Fixed the credit freeze and got approved like 3 days later! But heads up - even after approval, it took almost 2 weeks for the funds to actually disburse to my son's account. Make sure your daughter talks to the financial aid office about getting a temporary hold on the payment deadline!

my mom had her identity stolen too and put freezes everywhere... when i needed tuition $$ she couldnt figure out how to unfreeze equifax and we had to get private loans instead which SUCKED. make sure u know all ur passwords and account #s for all 3 bureaus!!!!

Just to add another important detail - when you reapply for the Parent Plus loan after lifting the freeze, you'll need to complete a new Master Promissory Note (MPN) as well. The denied application's MPN becomes invalid. This catches many parents by surprise and further delays the process.

Update us when you get this resolved! I'm curious how long the whole process ends up taking for you since many of us have been through similar situations.

I went through this same nightmare last year! The credit freeze is definitely what's blocking you. Here's my timeline to help you plan: Day 1 - called all 3 bureaus to lift freeze (took about 2 hours total), Day 2 - reapplied for Parent Plus on studentaid.gov, Day 4 - got approval email, Day 6 - completed new MPN, Day 12 - funds finally hit my daughter's account. Pro tip: While you're waiting, call your daughter's school bursar office TODAY and explain the situation. Most schools will give you a 2-3 week extension on tuition deadlines for Parent Plus processing delays. They deal with this all the time! Also, lifting the freeze is free at all three bureaus now - they can't charge for it anymore.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress right now! I went through the exact same thing with my daughter two years ago - Parent Plus denial due to a credit freeze I had completely forgotten about after a data breach. The good news is this is totally fixable! Here's what I learned: You can lift the freeze online at all three bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) - it's free now and usually processes within a few hours. I'd recommend doing it permanently since you might need credit access for other education expenses. After lifting, wait 24-48 hours then reapply on studentaid.gov. Most importantly, call your daughter's financial aid office TODAY and explain the situation. They deal with Parent Plus delays constantly and will likely extend your payment deadline without any issues. My daughter's school gave us an extra 3 weeks and waived all late fees once I showed them the denial letter and reapplication confirmation. The whole process took about 8 days for me from lifting the freeze to funds hitting the school account. Your unfiled taxes aren't the issue - Parent Plus only looks at credit history. You've got this! Let us know how it goes!